A Note on the founder and director of La Plata Field School
Laurel B. Barton


Laurel holds an MA in Peace Education from the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica and a BA in Humanities from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. 
Her educational philosophy is built on, and influenced by her Waldorf education, and her graduate experience in Peace Education, which explicitly aims to inspire students to work for peace and justice in their communities and abroad. Laurel has worked for a college prep high school, a charter school, and for the past twelve years in the outdoor education field and for international service learning organizations in Latin America, West Africa and the United States. Laurel views education as a lifelong process and believes that young people benefit when they are given opportunities to reinvent themselves in new social climates.


Educators: 
☼Laurel Barton is an educator in the arts, history, geography, river rafting, and kayaking, and in politics. She holds a BA in Art from Fort Lewis College and an MA in Peace Education from the United Nations University for Peace. Born and raised in the Southwest US, she is thrilled to be working on her lifelong dream of creating the La Plata Field School. 


☺Michael Barton, Laurel's big brother, is a skilled science educator, backcountry ski instructor and river leader. Michael is a refined role model and adventurer of the outdoors, he has worked for Deer Hill Expeditions and Silverton Mountain Ski area for the past decade and now is a leader in wilderness education in the San Juan’s with his own company, Mountain Goat Ski Guides. He has worked for the San Juan Snow and Avalanche Center, studying climate change. For more information: www.mountaingoatskiguides.com 


Other Staff  BIO's coming soon!

La Plata Field School does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, national origin, religion, sexual preferrence, age or physical ability or disability. In addition we seek diversity in all elements of of our student body and staff.